current affairs
Zulu regiments storm Durban ICC, threaten security and disrupt Ingonyama Trust indaba
Zulu regiments stormed the Ingonyama Trust indaba at Durban ICC. Ngizwe Mchunu and Phakelumthakathi later apologised to traditional leaders.
Articles
Source-linked explainers, history, analysis, current affairs and interviews from South African Index.
explainer
South Africa’s National Orders: A Complete Guide
A guide to South Africa’s National Orders: the six Orders, what each recognises, how nominations work, award classes and notable recipients.
explainer
Order of Mapungubwe: History, Classes and Recipients
A guide to South Africa’s Order of Mapungubwe, including what it recognises, its four classes, symbolism, post-nominal letters and notable recipients.
explainer
Order of the Baobab: History, Classes and Recipients
A guide to South Africa’s Order of the Baobab, including the fields it recognises, its three classes, symbolism and notable recipients.
explainer
Order of the Companions of O.R. Tambo: History, Classes and Recipients
A guide to South Africa’s Order of the Companions of O.R. Tambo, awarded to eminent foreign nationals for friendship, solidarity and support.
explainer
Order of Luthuli: History, Classes and Recipients
A guide to South Africa’s Order of Luthuli, including what it recognises, its three classes, symbolism, post-nominal letters and recipients.
explainer
Order of Ikhamanga: History, Classes and Recipients
A guide to South Africa’s Order of Ikhamanga, awarded for achievement in arts, culture, literature, music, journalism and sport.
explainer
Order of Mendi for Bravery: History, Classes and Recipients
A guide to South Africa’s Order of Mendi for Bravery, including the SS Mendi connection, award classes, symbolism and recipient criteria.
explainer
Who Founded Capitec?
Capitec Bank was established in 2001. Michiel le Roux served as its founding chief executive, while Riaan Stassen became the key builder of the bank’s early operating model and growth.
history
Who Founded Shoprite — and Who Built It?
Shoprite’s modern growth story began with the acquisition of an existing eight-store chain in 1979. Whitey Basson did not create those original stores, but he led the group from 1979 and built it through expansion and acquisitions.
explainer
The Entrepreneurs Behind South Africa’s Major Banks
A sourced guide to the founders and company builders behind Capitec, Rand Merchant Bank and FirstRand, and why the difference between a founder and a later builder matters.
history
The Founders Who Built South African Retail
Raymond Ackerman founded Pick n Pay; Stewart Cohen and Laurie Chiappini co-founded Mr Price; Whitey Basson built Shoprite after an existing chain was acquired. Their histories show why “founder” is not one universal category.
analysis
South African Company Builders: Founders, Builders and Corporate Transformations
South Africa’s best-known company histories include clean start-ups, spin-offs, acquisitions and later transformations. This guide separates founders from executives who built existing companies into new institutions.
explainer
South Africa’s Gas Cliff: LNG Companies and 2030 Risk
South Africa’s gas shortage risk explained: the gas cliff, Mozambique supply, Sasol’s 2030 bridge, Richards Bay LNG companies and key project deadlines.
history
The Rupert Corporate Genealogy: Rembrandt, Remgro, Richemont and Reinet
How the Rupert businesses connect: a sourced company timeline, the 1988, 2000 and 2008 separations, and dated ownership and voting-control records.
explainer
Amabutho: Zulu Regiments, History and Their Role Today
What amabutho means, the history of Zulu age regiments, royal ceremonies today, and why amabutho should be distinguished from March & March.
history
Bidvest and Bidcorp: How the 2016 Unbundling Created Two Listed Groups
How Bidvest separated its foodservice business into Bidcorp in 2016, what shareholders received, and the roles of Brian Joffe and Bernard Berson.
history
Who Founded Discovery? Adrian Gore, Barry Swartzberg and the Vitality Model
Discovery was founded in 1992 by Adrian Gore and Barry Swartzberg. Explore its health-business origins, Vitality launch, 1999 listing and corporate structure.
history
How Mr Price Was Built: Cohen, Chiappini and the Road to Europe
Trace Mr Price’s retail founders, its 1985 factory store, the distinction between brand and listed group, and the completed NKD acquisition in March 2026.
history
How Aspen Was Built: Saad, Attridge and the 1999 Acquisition
Explore Aspen’s 1997 start, its reverse listing and the South African Druggists acquisition, with clear distinctions between founders, leadership and ownership.
history
FirstRand, FNB and RMB: How the 1998 Merger Built a Group
Explore FirstRand’s 1998 merger, its founding trio and the distinction between the listed group, FirstRand Bank, FNB, RMB and the original insurance businesses.
history
From Naspers to Prosus: The Tencent Investment and Its Legacy
Trace Naspers’s Tencent investment, the 2019 Prosus listing and restructuring. Learn how economic ownership differs from voting rights and management control.
history
How Takealot Was Built: Take2, Kalahari and Naspers Control
Explore Takealot’s Take2 origins, the Kalahari merger and Naspers investment. Separate the founder, funding, equity ownership and voting rights in its history.
history
Pick n Pay and Boxer: Founders, Growth and Control
Trace Pick n Pay’s 1967 start, Wendy Ackerman’s role and Boxer’s growth. Understand the 2024 listing, 2026 share sale and how equity differs from control.
history
Checkers, Sixty60 and Pingo: From Stores to Delivery
Explore Checkers’ 1991 acquisition, Sixty60’s 2019 launch and Pingo’s ownership change. See how stores, delivery and reported sales connect within Shoprite.
history
How African Rainbow Minerals Was Built: Future Mining, ARMgold and Avmin
How Patrice Motsepe built African Rainbow Minerals through Future Mining, ARMgold, Harmony and Avmin, with dated ownership and control records in South Africa.
history
How Woolworths Became a Retail Group: Max Sonnenberg, Country Road and David Jones
How Max Sonnenberg founded Woolworths, and how the group added Country Road, David Jones, financial services and Absolute Pets through dated deals in detail.
history
How Massmart Was Built: Makro, Game and Walmart’s Full Takeover
How Mark Lamberti built Massmart from Makro, added Game, listed the group, and moved from public ownership to Walmart control and full private ownership.
history
How Sasol Was Built: Etienne Rousseau, Sasolburg and Secunda
How Etienne Rousseau built state-backed Sasol, opened Sasolburg, expanded through Secunda, and moved the group from public ownership to the JSE in 1979.
history
How OUTsurance Was Built: Three Founders, Youi and the RMI Listing
How Willem Roos, Howard Aron and René Otto built OUTsurance, expanded through Youi, and reached the JSE through the 2022 transition from RMI.
history
How Vodacom Was Built: Alan Knott-Craig, Vodafone and the JSE Listing
How Alan Knott-Craig built Vodacom from a 1993 venture into a listed African group, with dated Vodafone ownership and management control explained.
history
How MTN Was Built: M-Cell, Phuthuma Nhleko and Nigeria
How M-Cell became MTN Group, how Nigeria and Investcom changed its scale, and how dated ownership, voting rights and management differ today.
history
How Pepkor Was Built: PEP, Steinhoff and the 2017 Listing
How PEP became the core of Pepkor, how Steinhoff and the 2017 listing changed its ownership, and who owns and manages the group in South Africa today.
history
How Capitec Was Built: PSG, Riaan Stassen and the Digital Bank
How Capitec grew from a PSG-backed banking venture into a national digital bank, with its founders, leaders, ownership and legal entities separated.
history
How Investec Was Built: From Leasing Company to Dual-Listed Bank
How Investec grew from a Johannesburg leasing company into a dual-listed bank, with its founders, legal entities, ownership and leadership separated.
history
How Standard Bank Was Built: John Paterson, Standard Chartered and ICBC
How John Paterson’s Port Elizabeth banking plan became Standard Bank, separated from Standard Chartered and added ICBC as a strategic shareholder.
history
How Old Mutual Was Built: John Fairbairn, Demutualisation and Nedbank
How John Fairbairn founded a Cape mutual in 1845, and how demutualisation, managed separation, Nedbank and Quilter reshaped Old Mutual today.
current affairs
Sanlam and Santam: From 1918 to the R21.2bn Buyout
How Sanlam grew from Santam’s 1918 life office, changed ownership through demutualisation and proposed a conditional R21.2bn Santam buyout in 2026.
history
How Clicks Was Built: Jack Goldin, UPD and the Pharmacy Strategy
How Jack Goldin founded Clicks in 1968, how UPD enabled its pharmacy strategy, and how the listed group separates ownership from management.
history
How Foschini Became TFG: Rosenthal, Lewis and a Century of Retail
How George Rosenthal founded Foschini, Stanley Lewis built a diversified retailer, and TFG now separates ownership, board oversight and management.
history
How SAB Became SABMiller: Charles Glass, Graham Mackay and AB InBev
How Charles Glass started SAB’s brewing story, Graham Mackay built SABMiller, and AB InBev now separates ownership, voting rights and management.
history
How Allen Ambor Built Spur into a Listed Franchise Group
How Allen Ambor opened the first Spur, how its franchise system works, and how listed ownership differs from restaurant and executive control.
history
How George Halamandres Built the Business Behind Famous Brands
How George Halamandres built the Steers business, how Famous Brands expanded, and how franchise, shareholder and management control differ today.
history
How Jacob Frankel’s Oats Business Became Tiger Brands
How Jacob Frankel’s oats business became Tiger Brands, how acquisitions changed the group, and how equity, voting and management control differ today.
history
How Bill Venter Built Altron from Allied Electric
How Bill Venter built Altron from Allied Electric, how the Bytes demerger changed it, and how equity, voting rights and management control differ today.
history
How Barloworld Grew from Blankets to Caterpillar and Went Private
How Ernest and Punch Barlow built a South African industrial group, why Caterpillar mattered, and how Entsha and Zahid took Barloworld private in 2026.